Mohammad Arshad Islamabad
Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin, Friday, directed to chalk out short, medium and long term plans for reformation of pay and pension system in the public sector over a period of time. There is no short term solution to this problem, he stressed.
In a meeting with Chairperson Pay and Pension Commission Nargis Sethi, Finance Minister Tarin said that end goal was to make the government employer of choice for the talented youth.
There is an increased need to work out ranges for linking compensation with performance.
This will ensure meritocracy in recruitment and result in improved service delivery in the public sector.
He also appreciated the efforts being made by the Pay and Pension Commission for streamlining the prevailing system of emoluments based on principles of equity, fairness and transparency.
He also stressed the importance of conducting quarterly reviews and requisite follow-ups to gauge performance on regular basis.
The Finance Minister stated that there is a pressing need to rationalize the existing workforce and adhere to a performance-driven compensation system for smooth transition to e-governance. He affirmed full support and facilitation to the Commission on the occasion.
Earlier, the Chairperson also apprised the Finance Minister about challenges in the way of harmonization of Pay and Pension system across the country which includes disparity in allowances, perks and other benefits as well as burgeoning expenditure of the pensions on national exchequer which is not sustainable in the long run, she added.
In two a separate meetings with Adviser to the Prime Minister on Establishment Muhammad Shahzad Arbab, Finance Minister Tarin affirmed full support and facilitation to the Commission on the occasion.
Members of the Prime Minister’s Reforms Team made a detailed presentation on “Concept of Performance Agreement” regarding working of Federal Ministries and Divisions.
The Performance Agreement underlines the key objectives, goals and benchmarks to be achieved by a concerned Ministry / Division during the financial year.
The Performance Agreements for the FY / 2020-21 have been introduced to enable Ministries to set key targets and measure performance against them effectively.
Adviser to the PM on Establishment stated that the Government must be given due credit for introducing the concept of performance evaluation.
The said system promotes sense of ownership among the Ministers and Secretaries to ensure smooth service delivery in their respective Ministries / Division / Departments / Organizations.
The Finance Minister commended the efforts of the Adviser to the PM and his team and urged to apply the concept of Performance Agreements to all the Ministries across the board.
He also stressed the importance of conducting quarterly reviews and requisite follow-ups to gauge performance on regular basis.
